The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-23
SPECIAL RATES ON OIL.
FREIGHT AGENT CULP CLAIMS
THAT NONE ARE GIVEN.

The Counsel for Complainant Rice
Brings Out Some Facts that Made
the Statement Look a Little strange
The Advantages to Railroad Com
nanies of Tanks Over Barrels Ex-
planned.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.--Howard Page,
who is connected with the management of
the Standard Oil Company, of Kentucky,
was examined in connection with the
Standard oil cases before the Interstate
Commerce Commission this forenoon. He
was the complainant's witness. He stated
that no drawbacks or rebates of any kind
were allowed the Standard Oil Company
by railroads south of the Ohio, and that the
rates paid are the published rates given to
everybody. Shipments were made in tank
cars, in barrels and in cases. The
railroads did and could we'll afford to carry
oil in tank cars cheaper than by any other
method. Oil shipped IN tank cars was never
in the custody of the railroads except when
in transit. Its carriage required of the rail
roads no terminal facilities. Tank cars were
"backloaded" with turpentine and cotton
seed oil They were about 1000 pounds
lighter blltiu Lub VI pOA Idlo Ou
the other hand oil in barrels was delivered
1T depots, stored by the railroads like other
freight, loaded and unloaded by railroad
men and required the use of railroad box
cars. The average leakage of oil in transit
in barrels was about gallon a barrel. The
cars were saturated with oil and made more
inflammable, while many kinds of merchan-
disc shipped thereafter therein was liable to
damage by reason of oil in the car. Box
LII Ill
liable to be brought back empty than the
tank cars
FACTS FROM THE BOOKS
i. H. Severance, Treasurer OF the Stand
ard Oil Company, was sworn, and produced
certain information copied from the
records of the company respecting the ca
pacities of the tank cars of his company.
j. NJ. Culp, General Freight Agent of
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Com
pany, was examined at great length about
the operations and rates of his company.
In reply to the counsel for the complain
ant, the witness said the only rate ON oil in
barrels from Louisville to Huntsville, Ala,
since April 5, was 2915c. per 100 pounds. No
other rate had been given to anybody. The
counsel produced letter, the signature of
which the witness recognized as that of a
clerk in his Office, which letter was to
George Rice the cOmplainant giving the
rate from Louisville to Huntsville at SIC. a
100 pounds.
HOW HE EXPLAINED IT.
The witness explained this on the theory
that the letter was probably written by a
stenographer who had made an error.
The counsel thereupon produced letter
bearing the witness own signature addressed
TO the complainant, stating that the rates
given to him were as low as those given to
any one and that the company would give
no other.
The witness said that was written under
the impression that the rate originally given
Mr.. Rice was correct.
The counsel asked how that could be since
the second letter was written in reply to one
from the complainant quoting the BIC. rate
and asking if no better terms could be
given, and if other shippers were not given
more favorable rates.
The witness replied as before, adding
that he did not at the time know the rates,
and not doubling that they had been given
correctly, he did not examine them.
The witness had not concluded his testi-
mony when the commission, at 5 o'clock,
adjourned.